Looking For Joshua

[Frost]

Asia drives to the place where she thinks the photograph Katrin showed her was taken. She looks around with a slight frown, trying to find a place to park that wouldn't look suspicious or cause her to get a parking ticket. Finally finding one after a twenty minute drive of frustration, she gets out of the car and zips up her coat.

She looks around for a few minutes, seeing if maybe she can spot this Joshua, or some other homeless who might be able to help her. She walks down the street a bit, trying to discern the homeless from regular people just walking on the street.

[Forn Clakes]

This time of year is a bad time to be on the streets and it shows. There are many, many homeless hiding away under dirty blankets and torn sleeping bags just trying to hold onto a little bit of warmth. Some have even managed to get hold of a small cup of hot coffee and are cupping them in gloved hands. Others are huddled together to share any heat they can create between their bodies.

[Frost]

Asia feels her heart wrench as she sees this. She knows what it is like to be cold and alone, having no home or friends to turn to for comfort. Waiting for a target to set themselves up so she can sneak in and do what has been asked of her. Watching the hot red blood flow from the still body as it drains out onto the snow, staining it and turning it into dark red mush.......

With a shake of her head, Asia sets her mind back to the task at hand. Finding Joshua Freemantle.

She warily approaches a man huddled over a hot cup of coffee and offers him a gentle smile. "Excuse be." She says, her hands forming the words as well. "I ab looking for a friend nabed Joshua Freebantle. Do you know hib by chance?"

[Forn Clakes]

THe man looks up and Asia recognises the fear in his eyes. Coveting the cup closer, he stutters as he speaks.

"I,I,I,I di-di-didn't steal i-i-i-it!" However, getting over the fact that she never asked him about the drink, the man seems to breath out and relax. "Li-Li-Lil Josh? Ye-ye-yeah, I know him."

[Rosyn]

-Sable-

Trying to avoid the bright lights of the day Sable tucked herself away in a sleeping bag amongst the other vagrants. Having just picked at the meager leavings in an empty baked bean can she had decided to try to sleep off the hunger pains. The little changeling was in a deep, black, sleep as the voices came through her trash covered sleeping bag over the noise of the city.

Joshua... Joshua Freebantle?...

She stirred and the baked bean cans on top of her sleeping back clattered to the pavement. Despite the noise her sleep persisted and her heavy eye lids shut again, her thoughts came to her dreamily.

I have a friend named Joshua Freemantle... Wonder if its the same guy...

Fighting off the sleep that was brought on by hunger the little changeling pulled her covers down and blinked around in the bright light.

"Who's askin'?" She squeaked toward Asia and the homeless man with the coffee whom she couldn't see yet as her eyes weren't adjusted.

[Frost]

Asia squats down next to the man, a gentle smile playing on her face. "Oh no, I wouldn't think you'd stolen anything." She says quietly. She has abandoned signing while she speaks, afraid the man might think she is moving to strike him.

"You do?" She says with surprise, taken off guard by finding someone so fast. "Do you know where he sleeps? I ab a friend and he needs by help. By nabe is Asia Mmerin." She is very careful to pronounce the M in her last name as she knows she has trouble with them and wants this man to get her name correct in case he talks to Joshua.

[Forn Clakes]

The man readjusted himself in his blanket, a little put off that this woamn wanted to speak with him being all clean and that. He was about to say something in that his mouth opened to form words when he caught the tiny voice of Sable. Feeling like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar, he looks into his drink, avoiding Asia's eyes.

[Frost]

Asia frowns, not understanding the man's sudden silence as she did not hear any tiny voice. She sits back on her heels and studies him for a long moment before beginning to speak again.

This time, she pulls a twenty out of her pocket and places it in the man's lap. "I know a lot of you don't like cherity, but I need to find by friend. He is in a great deal of trouble and I need to get hib to safty. Please, help be."

[Rosyn]

Sable slinks the rest of the way out of the sleeping bag and creeps closer to Asia, now aware that she was another Lost. The white, pupil less, eyes of a cave creature stare up at Asia- curious and shy. The little changeling still wears the shirt from the Fall Festival, a white T with a finger paint turkey on it and a pair of loose fitting jeans that look like they were made for an adult.

[Forn Clakes]

The man seems to shrink away and looks nervously towards Sable who has pulled herself from her hideaway, shaking his head.

"I-I-I-I never said any-ny-nything Sable! I pro-prom-promise."